There is no deadline for filing a VA disability compensation claim. You can file for conditions related to your active duty service at any point after separation, whether that is one year or thirty years later. The VA does not reject claims simply because time has passed, but the length of time can affect how much evidence you need to gather to prove the condition is connected to service.
To establish service connection under 38 CFR 3.303, you generally need three things: a current diagnosis, an in-service event or injury (such as documented concussions, joint injuries, or noted stomach complaints), and a medical nexus opinion linking the two. When decades have passed, service treatment records, buddy statements from people who served with you, and any continuity of treatment or symptoms since discharge become especially important. For a claimed TBI from multiple concussions, the VA will typically schedule a Compensation and Pension exam using the TBI Disability Benefits Questionnaire to assess residual symptoms and severity.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →Secondary conditions matter too. Mental health conditions like depression or anxiety, or physical issues like GERD and migraines, can sometimes be connected either directly to service or secondarily to another service-connected condition (for example, chronic pain from joint injuries contributing to depression, or medication side effects contributing to stomach issues). Filing all related conditions together, as it sounds like you are doing, allows the VA to evaluate the full picture and consider these secondary connections.
The effective date for benefits is generally tied to the date VA receives your claim, not the date the injury occurred, so filing promptly once you decide to pursue this matters for back pay purposes. If a claim is denied, you have options: a Supplemental Claim (VA Form 20-0995) with new and relevant evidence, a Higher-Level Review (VA Form 20-0996), or a Notice of Disagreement to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (VA Form 10182). Outcomes vary significantly by condition and evidence quality, so there is no way to predict a result in advance.
The concrete next step is to submit VA Form 21-526EZ if you have not already filed formally, and gather any supporting statements from fellow service members, family, or your own written account of symptoms since discharge to strengthen the nexus for each claimed condition.
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